Kreps THORP T-18-C N118CK

Summary

On 1 March 2009 at about 00:10 local time, a Kreps THORP T-18-C registered N118CK, operated by George L. Avans, was involved in an accident near Palm Springs, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 March 2009 at 00:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Palm Springs, California, United States

Nearest airport

Palm Springs Intl (PSP)

Coordinates

33.8167, -116.5111

Aircraft

Kreps THORP T-18-C

Registration

N118CK

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

George L. Avans

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Barbara → Palm Springs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09CA134

Nobody was injured.

A loss of directional control due to the fatigue failure of a tubular steel gear leg along a corroded weld line.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped experimental airplane had just touched down for a full-stop landing when the airplane started veering to the left. Although the pilot applied rudder and brake inputs to correct the airplane's alignment, the airplane did not respond. The pilot then added power to help correct the veering, but the airplane departed the left side of the runway and impacted a runway/taxiway sign. A postaccident inspection of the tubular steel left gear leg revealed that it had partially failed along a corroded weld line, and had bent backwards from its normal position. Corrosion/rust was present on about one inch of the fracture face, and along a wider area of the interior wall of the gear leg adjacent to the fracture. The fracture itself continued around about 70 percent of the circumference of the tubular leg.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.